4. Listening to All Sides of Every Story
If the ruler listens straight to one project alone, he cannot
distinguish between the stupid and the intelligent. If he
holds every projector responsible, ministers cannot confound
their abilities. The saying is based on the demand of the
Chêng territory by Wey and on the playing of the Yü
instrument. Its opposite is instanced by Shên Tzŭ's employment
of Chao Shao and Han Ta to test the opinion of the
Ruler of Han. For further instance, Prince Ch`ih[5]
suggested
the cession of the territory east of the Yellow River; Marquis
Ying proposed to loosen the garrison at Shang-tang.
